Red-Tailed Hawk Attacks Runner In Kansas

A runner in Kansas was the victim of a red-tailed hawk attack. Photo: Birdchick.com

A runner in Kansas was the victim of a red-tailed hawk attack. Photo: Birdchick.com

The victim was just going out for a morning jog.

Bears attacking runners? Yes.

Mountain lions? Possible.

But what about hawks?

Yes, hawks. According to a report on the KPLC Web site, an Overland Park, Kansas resident was attacked by a red-tailed hawk while he was jogging through a residential neighborhood early in the morning.

“So it’s 5 a.m. and I’d just crossed the street over here,” recalled Brian Foster, the victim. Foster said he was attacked by the bird that clawed his head and back. “So I immediately, I flew my arms up and I screamed, and I see this giant bird flying back into the tree line,” Foster said. “I could start to feel warmth in the back of my neck, I put my hand back there and my hand was full of blood.”

Hawk attacks on humans are extremely rare, according to experts. However, the red-tailed hawk is the most common hawk in that part of Kansas. An average adult red-tailed hawk weighs between 1.9 and 2.5 pounds. It is a carnivore with a diet that consists mostly of small mammals.

Duncan Larkin

Duncan Larkin is a freelance journalist and author who’s been covering the sport of running for over a decade. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. He wrote the book RUN SIMPLE, and coaches runners of all abilities.
You can learn more about him here: http://roadsmillslaps.tumblr.com/about